From Our District Governor

Giving Thanks and Sharing a Legacy

By Mary Ligon

As we approach Thanksgiving, I am thankful for all of you and the time, talent and energy you direct to our work as Rotarians! Together, we change lives and create a legacy for the future.

There's no doubt that The Rotary Foundation drives that legacy - enabling the good we do in our communities and around the world. This is Rotary Foundation Month - the Rotary Foundation is our charity of choice. You will find great stories here and on Rotary Showcase about the projects made possible through the Foundation. We're also featuring one of our Global Grant Scholars and some of the great events that took place in support of PolioPlus on World Polio Day last month. All that we can accomplish starts with each of you and your generous contributions. We have just come off our second highest year of giving to the TRF Annual Fund and we're off to a good start for 2021-22. I encourage each of you to consider your contributions and for clubs to strive for Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY) status. Read Foundation Chair Cheryl Greenway's article here - and let's work toward 100% participation - as individuals and EREY clubs this year.

We're also focused on membership as a top priority in 2021-22. RI President Shekhar Mehta just posted his congratulations to the Rotary world - saying that our
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Our Rotary Foundation

District 6900 Rotarians are Fantastic!!!

By Cheryl Greenway

November is Foundation month - something that is no surprise to the Rotarians in our District. District 6900 Rotarians are known throughout our zone and the world for our generous giving to The Rotary Foundation ... and Rotary year 2020-2021 was no exception. In fact, the total giving from the Rotarians in our District during our last Rotary year … [more]

Our Rotary Foundation at Work

Global Grant Project Brings Clean Water to Panama ... and a New Rotarian to Roswell

By Lee Hollingsworth

Panama’s federal government hosted a Presidential Palace meeting to thank District 6900, the Roswell Rotary Club, and the Rotary Club of Panama Nordeste for the Global Grant project of clean water systems in Panama’s remote Darien Jungle. Government officials were amazed at the efficiency and speed of the implementation, compared to their normal procurement processes. PDG Kirk Driskell noted that the entire idea sprang from a conversation between Kirk and 26-year-old Langdon Hollingsworth one evening in 2019. The Rotary Clubs of Alpharetta, Roswell, Griffin and Milton, and some individual District 6900 Rotarians contributed $13,041 - the total project investment was $64,162 (including matching from the District and The Rotary Foundation and a contribution from the local Panamanian Rotary Club). Today, a new well and water system delivers clean water to approximately 800 villagers, including 300 children who now have new, healthy lives ahead of them. And Langdon is now a Roswell Rotarian. [more]

Our Rotary Foundation at Work

Celebrating World Polio Day

By Jackie Cuthbert

Clubs all across the district took special measures to celebrate World Polio Day and raise money to support polio eradication. Many clubs posted the polio story on their Facebook pages. Midtown Atlanta and Smyrna each hosted special meetings with updates on where the fight against polio stands today. The Rotary Clubs of Carrollton and Carrollton Dawnbreakers teamed up to turn the Courthouse red. And Georgia's Governor issued a proclamation commemorating World Polio Day. The Rotary Club of Moultrie hosted its 3rd Annual “Pints for Polio” event on World Polio Day while Roswell Rotarians gathered to drink wine and raise money at a local wine market and tasting room! [more]

Global Grant Scholar Update

District 6900 Student Starts Her Masters Program

By Kathy Brandt

Gloria Andia, a District 6900 Global Grant Scholar this academic year, has started studies toward her Masters of Science at the  London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. In a recent update, she reported that she has settled down in Walthamstow, London "and it has been great so far! Very convenient to banks, super markets, the … [more]

Our Rotary Foundation at Work

District Grant Helps Fund Maverick's Handler

By Jackie Cuthbert

The Griffin Police Department will benefit from the $2,000 District Grant received by the Rotary Club of Griffin for 2021. These grants are made possible by District 6900's Annual Fund giving to The Rotary Foundation. The money will help fund part of the cost for Officer Hanson to be trained as K-9 Maverick’s partner and handler. Training … [more]

Membership

How Do We Attract the "Selfie" Generation to Rotary?

By Jaclyn Donovan

Rotary realizes a need to bring in more members across the board, and in particular more younger members. But how do we do that? What are those potential members looking for in an organization?

According to 2021 research from Deloitte Global across 45 countries, results showed that 70% of the “under 40” crowd want to volunteer. In the 18 to 35 group, 46% rated “Flexibility” as the No 1 incentive to join an organization. They found 21st-century young people volunteer for “causes” they are passionate about rather than for an organization’s cause. These findings are a great opportunity to form new Rotary clubs with more flexibility, creativity, and the technological savviness to attract cause-centric young people.
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Membership

Welcome New Members

By Jaclyn Donovan

Based on what you reported to the district database through the middle of October, District 6900 sends a warm welcome to the following 26 new members since our last report:

  • Alpharetta – Shannon Penn, Fattie Johnson, Wendy Johansson
  • Brookhaven – Yasser Abdou
  • Buckhead – Rohaan Jacob
    • < … [more]
When Youth & Peace in Action kicked off on September 21 - International Peace Day - The Interact Club at Roswell High School held a kick-off meeting at Lucky’s Burgers & Brew to watch the kick-off together! The Foundry School held two kick-off events during the day to engage as many students as possible. Later that week, HomeStretch held its kick-off and talked about what peace is to them.

When Youth & Peace in Action kicked off on September 21 - International Peace Day - The Interact Club at Roswell High School held a kick-off meeting at Lucky’s Burgers & Brew to watch the kick-off together! The Foundry School held two kick-off events during the day to engage as many students as possible. Later that week, HomeStretch held its kick-off and talked about what peace is to them.

Youth and Peace in Action

Come on Board with Youth & Peace in Action

By André Marria

We remain thrilled that District 6900 is a Champion District in the Youth & Peace in Action (YPA) initiative. Fifty-seven high schools and youth clubs/organizations from across District 6900 are participating in 2021-22! Thousands of students will enroll this month in the YPA Online Peace Platform and join in the My Peacebuilder Foundations course, which results in a certification from NewGen Peacebuilders and opportunities for additional training and completion of peace projects.

Learn more about YPA through this short video, which premiered on Sept. 21 during the YPA Kick-Off event. [more]

Club News

Happy 100th Birthday to the Rotary Club of Thomasville!

By Adrian Burns

The Rotary Club of Thomasville just held its 100th year club celebration. The celebration highlighted the many accomplishments over the years and the role that Rotary has played in the community. According to the president Wayne Newsome, “This club has a legacy of service, a legacy of achievement, a legacy of leadership in our community,” One of the accomplishments during our 100th year under the leadership of Past President John Brown was the completion of the Will Watt Peace Plaza and fountain at the Courtyard by Marriott. This also ties into the Georgia Rotary Student Program's 75th anniversary celebration - fitting since Thomasville Rotarian and PDG Will Watt embraced the vision that became GRSP. The club started ....
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Club Recognition Update

Showcase Your Club!

By Ryan Clements

With the passing of World Polio Day on October 24th we just had the chance to celebrate one of Rotary’s top priorities and undoubtedly many clubs in our district took this moment to highlight Rotary’s incredible and sustained work to end polio. This was also one of the many opportunities for club’s to capture and share how they’ … [more]

Membership and More

Acting to Supporting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

By Jaclyn Donovan

Everyone who engages with Rotary — no matter who they are, where they are in the world, or how long they have been connected with Rotary — should feel valued, respected, and welcomed. These ideals reflect what current and prospective members want and expect from their Rotary experience: respect, ethical leadership, inclusion, and the opportunity to work together to create more just, open, and welcoming communities for all people. And by “all people” we those who differ in age, ethnicity, race, color, disability, learning style, religion, faith, socioeconomic status, culture, marital status, languages spoken, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity as well as differences in ideas, thoughts, values, and beliefs.

Within the last year District 6900 formed a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Taskforce in order to strengthen the organization’s commitment to DEI. DGN André Marria has assembled a group of leaders from several clubs across the district to encourage candid conversation and promote positive progress. And some of our District 6900 Clubs have put DEI initiatives into action. See what your Club could do ... 
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Rotary Leadership Institute

Top Ten Reasons to Participate in RLI Workshops

By Stephanie Windham

The Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) believes "Having leadership skills does not alone assure good Rotary leadership. An effective Rotary leader must ALSO have Rotary knowledge, perspective about where Rotary has been, where it is now going and a vision of what Rotary can be."

What are the top ten reasons that YOU should consider visiting www.rlitraining.org now and booking an in-person session or taking an online class?
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GRSP Update

GRSP Student Selection Book Going Digital!

By Ian Bond

The Georgia Rotary Student Program is preparing the selection book of prospective students for the 2022-23 academic year in a digital format. The new format will allow clubs to sort potential applicants by country and other criteria. Around Thanksgiving, club presidents will receive an email from GRSP that will include links to the selection book, details about the club commitment form and statistical table for tuition and housing rates. The email will also contain a unique log in for each club and password. Clubs will be asked to reset their password upon initially logging in. This login and reset password can be shared with other club members involved in the selection process. Commitment forms will be due on or before January 14, 2023.
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RYLA

Get Ready for 2022!

By Jaclyn Donovan

RYLA 2022 is on the calendar for June 18-22, and we are already getting excited! Application materials will be updated on the website – www.ryla6900.com – and sent out to clubs by January 1. So start making plans now to sponsor a student or 2. Or 10… we’ll take them all! If you have any questions please reach out to your District RYLA team – Susan Ruckman and Jaclyn Donovan – and they will be happy to help!
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Club News

Rotary Club of Marietta and Marietta Schools Host Inaugural Adapted Games

By Marlys Williams

With balmy morning temperatures and clear blue skies, more than 100 students and volunteers of all ages enjoyed a couple hours of lighthearted recreation when Marietta City Schools held its first-ever Adapted Games, offering a field-day like experience for students with intellectual disabilities. The Rotary Club of Marietta sponsored the event.

Students cycled through 15 stations to participate in games that have been adapted to be more inclusive. Students participated in adapted versions of the 100-yard dash, shot put, discus, javelin, bowling, cornhole and other games. Teachers and volunteers from every school in the system assisted in the games. Volunteers were members of the Rotary Club of Marietta and Marietta High School student athletic trainers or JROTC members.
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Club News

Interactors Post Positive Messages for Classmates

By Becky Stone

For the month of September, the Interact Club at Elkins Pointe Middle School (sponsored by the Rotary Club of Roswell) put positive messages on lockers throughout the school for Suicide Awareness Month. We put up lots of positive notes in the 6th, 7th and 8th grade halls. We filled almost all the lockers with our messages! As we were taping up the messages many students requested that we put a note on their locker. Many others were appreciative to see the messages we put up on their lockers. We believe spreading positivity is important for the mental health of middle schoolers. We tried our best to spread the most positivity as possible at Elkins Pointe.
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Club News

Dunwoody Fundraiser Features Exclusive Whiskey and Cigar Pairings

By Bob O'Brien

The Rotary Club of Dunwoody has completed the raffle of the first of three whiskey/cigar pairings - proceeds from all three will benefit the Dunwoody Rotary Charitable Fund. The next two drawings are scheduled for November and December - featuring first a Short Barrel rye whiskey and then a Blanton's Original Single Barrel. You can learn … [more]

Club News

Newnan Speakers Engage Club

By Clay Neely

The Rotary Club of Newnan has welcomed some very engaging speakers recently:

  • Ken Bearden, founder of Veterans Fishing Organization Inc., spoke to the club about the role his organization plays in getting veterans the opportunity to go fishing. The VFO exists to provide military veterans, including but not limited to those with … [more]